Ray Heenan
- Acting
- November 1, 1944 · Chicago, Illinois, USA
- September 17, 2017
Biography
Raymond Louis Heenan was an American professional wrestling manager, color commentator, wrestler, and comedian. He performed with the American Wrestling Association (AWA), WWE and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under the ring name Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. Heenan was known for his skill in elevating villainous on-screen talent by drawing negative reactions for himself and his wrestlers from the crowd. He was paired with numerous wrestlers, including Nick Bockwinkel, whom he led to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, and he became an integral figure in the 1980s professional wrestling boom by managing King Kong Bundy and André the Giant in WWE main event matches with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 2 and WrestleMania III respectively. The wrestlers under his tutelage were collectively known as "The Heenan Family" at various times throughout his career. Known for his quick wit and comedic ability, Heenan also served as a color commentator and is remembered for his on-screen repartee with Gorilla Monsoon. Outside of wrestling, Heenan authored two books, appeared on numerous television shows, and briefly hosted a parody talk show titled The Bobby Heenan Show on WWE Prime Time Wrestling. Heenan retired in 2001 at WrestleMania X-Seven after a seventeen-year stint as a commentator in professional wrestling but he continued to make sporadic appearances in several promotions. In 2002, he was diagnosed with throat cancer, which limited his appearances in later years, and died from complications of the disease in 2017. Among other honors, he has been inducted into the Professional Wrestling, WWE, and Wrestling Observer halls of fame. After his death, multiple wrestling commentators described his manager persona as the "greatest professional wrestling manager of all time."
Known for
Filmography
- Biography: WWE Legends · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (archive footage)
- Sting: The Lost Tape
- Headstrong · Self
- Andre the Giant · Self
- WWE: Ring in the Holiday
- WWE Greatest Wrestling Factions · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- Warrior's Greatest Matches · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Archive Footage)
- WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak · Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan (archive footage)
- The True Story of WrestleMania · Bobby Heenan
- WWE: Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
- WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary · Self
- WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology · Bobby Heenan
- WWE: 20 Years Too Soon - The Superstar Billy Graham Story
- The World's Greatest Wrestling Managers · Self
- TNA Turning Point 2005 · Bobby Heenan (Commentary)
- The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior · Self
- The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s · Self
- WWE Hall of Fame · Self
- ROH: All Star Extravaganza 2 · Self
- WWE Hall of Fame 2004 · Self
- The Monday Night War - WWE Raw vs. WCW Nitro · Self
- WWE: The World's Greatest Wrestling Managers · Bobby Heenan
- Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Hulk Still Rules · Self
- WWE: Triple H - The Game · Self
- Women of Wrestling
- WCW/NWO Superstar Series: Diamond Dallas Page - Feel the Bang! · Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
- WCW Thunder · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WCW The Great American Bash 1996 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Coach)
- WCW Monday Nitro · Bobby Heenan
- WCW All Nighter 1995
- Timemaster · Howard
- Bret "Hit Man" Hart: His Greatest Matches · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Global Warfare · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE UK Fan Favorites 1993 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- All Aboard the Lex Express · Bobby Heenan
- WWE Invasion of the Bodyslammers · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Bashed in the USA · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Commentator)
- WWE UK Rampage '93 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Commentator) / Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Interviewer)
- WWE WrestleFest '93 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Host)
- WWE Royal Rumble 1993 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Appearance)
- Raw · Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
- WWE World Tour 1992 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WBF Championship 1992 · Self
- WWE Crunch Classic · Bobby Heenan
- WWE UK Rampage '92 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WrestleMania: The Greatest Hits · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- Hulkamania 6 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Survivor Series Showdown 1991 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Rampage '91 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Battle Royal at the Albert Hall · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Commentator)
- 2nd Annual Battle of the WWE Superstars · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE SuperTape: Volume 4 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Mega Matches · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE WrestleMania VII · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Superstars & Stripes Forever: The March to WrestleMania VII · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Funniest Moments · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE SuperTape: Volume 3 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Royal Rumble 1991 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWF The Main Event IV · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Survivor Series 1990 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Hottest Matches · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- Wrestling Tough Guys · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE SummerSlam 1990 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- Battle of the WWE Superstars · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE SummerSlam Fever · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE SuperTape: Volume 2 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE WrestleMania VI · Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan (Manager)
- WWE The Ultimate Challenge Special: The March to WrestleMania VI · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- Wrestling Superheroes · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE SuperTape: Volume 1 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Survivor Series 1989 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- WWE Survivor Series Showdown '89 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- Hulkamania 4 · Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
- WWE SummerSlam 1989 · Self
- Demolition: Witness the Power · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- The Best of the WWF: volume 20 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- The Best of the WWF: volume 19 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- The Bobby Heenan Show
- The Ultimate Warrior · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)
- WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: May '89 · Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (Manager)